Peres: Deri Did his Time

Former Shas politician Aryeh Deri is free to return to political life, President Shimon Peres said Wednesday. “The minute a person completes his punishment he is a free man,” Peres said. He later added, “Deri is a citizen like any other. If they wanted to prevent him from being elected, they should have made that part of his punishment.”

Deri served time in prison for taking bribes, and recently said he plans to return to politics. Some Members of Knesset have attempted to introduce bills that would bar him from the next elections.